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In our last topic, we had a talk on whether you should choose Mint Mobile or Google Fi. The T-Mobile MVNO is one of the best choices if you would like to cut down your monthly phone bill. However, which should you pick between Mint Mobile vs Verizon?
Well, without a doubt, these two carriers have various amazing perks to smile about if you’re thinking of leaving your current provider. In this article, we’re going to compare them to see which has the best balance of the key features. That includes things like coverage, data speed, pricing, plan structure, data allowance, et cetera.
Mint Mobile Vs Verizon: A Quick Peek on the Phone Providers
| Feature | Mint Mobile | Verizon |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2015 | 2000 |
| Parent Company | Ultra Mobile | Verizon Communications |
| Carrier Network | T-Mobile | Verizon |
| Technologies | GSM | CDMA |
| Free 5G | YES | YES |
| Lowest Phone Plan | $15 | $30 |
| Unlimited Minutes | YES | YES |
| Unlimited data | YES | YES |
| Carry-Over | NO | YES [grandfathered plans] |
| Download Speeds | Up to 560+Mbps | Up to 4000+Mbps (or 4Gbps) |
| Family Plans | NO | YES |
| Free Mexico/ Canada Call | YES | YES |
| Extra Mobile Hotspot data | YES | YES [unlimited] |
| Video Streaming | YES [Up to HD] | YES [up to UHD] |
| Phone Unlock Period | After 365 days | After 60 days |
| Extra Perks | N/A | Free Discovery+, Free Apple Music, Free Apple Arcade 600GB Cloud Storage, Free Google Play Pass, Free Hulu/ Disney+/ ESPN+ |
| Type of Service | Online Only | Online and in-store |
Is Mint Mobile Any Good?
Yeah, indeed, Mint Mobile is a great cell phone provider. Not just because its owner, Ryan Reynolds, is also an awesome character on the big screen. But also for the general convenience, especially if you’re looking for a more affordable cell phone plan.
On the Visible vs Mint Mobile review, though, we saw the virtual network operator offers its rate plans in quarterly, semiannually, and yearly frequency. Of course, it’s not a bad idea, but it means you’ll also have to pay for the bulk package in advance.
Is Verizon Wireless Any Good?
Meanwhile, Verizon is the most popular and largest phone service here in the US. Not only does it have nationwide coverage, but also offers some of the best perks on the premium rate plans.
Speaking of plans, Verizon has multiple packages to choose from, both for basic and smart devices. You can also opt for prepaid or postpaid services, with unlimited talk minutes, text messages, and data. Even better, the mobile hotspot data is also unlimited, albeit it starts you with a high-speed allowance before dropping to a lower speed of 600kbps.
Oh, it’s also worth mentioning that Verizon is a major carrier with its own towers. So, its MVNOs like Visible and Total Wireless will be the first to experience deprioritization in the event of network congestion.
Mint mobile vs Verizon: Comparing the Features, Pricing, and Perks of the Cell Phone Providers
First up, comparing Mint Mobile vs Verizon Wireless is kind of unfair, considering one is an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) and the other a major carrier. However, each of the providers has its strengths as shown below.
GSM or CDMA
Overall, Mint Mobile is an MVNO for T-Mobile which uses GSM network technology. So, you should be able to swap the SIM card with most unlocked cell phones, including those from providers like Cricket and Metro.
As for Verizon, it’s a CDMA network, which used to operate without the use of a SIM card. However, the service does require a SIM card today, but it will be paired with your cell phone. So, you can’t just swap the card to any different phone and expect it to work instantly. You have to activate your device, which you can do online or by dialing (877) 807-4646.
As for the old 3G/ 4G technology, you should be able to work with a US Cellular or Verizon phone since the two are CDMA networks. However, the advanced 4G LTE and 5G devices tend to have dual-band technologies- both CDMA and GSM frequencies. So, you should be able to activate a Mint Mobile or Verizon SIM card if it’s fully unlocked.
Network Coverage
When you compare Verizon vs Mint Mobile coverage maps, you’ll notice the latter has far more spotty areas. Idaho, Oregon, or rather a large part of the Midwestern and Northwestern states, have quite many cities with zero coverage. So, you’re likely to experience weak to no signal strengths.
On the other hand, Verizon shows solid coverage in most parts of all the states. Only a handful of areas in the Midwestern and Northwestern states appear to have weak or no coverage. So, it takes the points here.
Free 5G Access and Speeds
Technically, this should have been a win for the two carriers as they both offer 5G access at no extra charges. However, Verizon seemingly has a wider coverage of the 5G Nationwide (low-band spectrum) and 5G Ultra-Wideband (high-band spectrum). It also has relatively faster browsing speeds, with a record of 4+Gpps or at least 980Mbps downloads.
Meanwhile, Mint Mobile registers an average speed range of around 560Mbps when on the high-band 5G spectrum. However, many people have access to the low–band spectrum, which you should expect download speeds of 200+Mbps or at least 100Mbps.
Cell Phone Plans and Pricing
In terms of cell phone plans, Mint Mobile takes the lead on pricing as you can get a monthly service from as low as $15/ line. But as was mentioned earlier, this provider usually sells its rate plans in a bundle of three, six, or twelve months.
Here’s a chart with a brief outline of the plan structure with the pricing, features, and perks.
| Features | 4GB Plan | 10GB Plan | 15GB Plan | Unlimited Plan |
| 3-Month Subscription | $45 ($15/ mo.) | $60 ($20/ mo.) | $75 ($25/ mo.) | $75 ($30/ mo.) |
| 6-Month Subscription | $120 ($20/ mo.) | $150 ($25/ mo.) | $210 ($35/ mo.) | $210 ($35/ mo.) |
| 12-Month Subscription | $180 ($15/ mo.) | $240 ($20/ mo.) | $300 ($25/ mo.) | $360 ($30/ mo.) |
| 4G LTE & 5G | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Call Minutes | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Text Messages | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| High-Speed Data | 4GB | 10GB | 15GB | Unlimited |
| Priority Data | N/A | N/A | N/A | 35GB |
| 128kbps Data | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Extra Mobile Hotspot Data | None | None | None | 5GB |
| Unlimited 600kbp hotspot data | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Extra Perks | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Although the carrier doesn’t have the regular family discounts, you can see the bundled plans can still save you hundreds of dollars in the long run. However, there’s only one solution of unlimited allowance for heavy data users. And even then, the carrier has set the priority high-speed data at 35GB.
Verizon Wireless Could be Better
That’s right. Verizon has the best phone plan perks, but, of course, it also comes with a price, literally. The network provider is one of the most expensive, with the least plan starting at $30/ month per line going up to $90/month on the special unlimited category.
Here’s a summary of the general prepaid plans and the various perks you can expect
| Features | 5GB Phone Plan | 15GB Phone Plan | Unlimited Phone Plan | Unlimited Plus Phone Plan |
| At the 1st Month Subscription | $40/ mo. | $50/ mo. | $65 | $75 |
| At the 4th Month Subscription | $30/ mo. ($10 discount) | $40/ mo. ($10 discount) | $55/ mo. ($10 discount) | $65/ mo. ($10 discount) |
| At the 10th Month Subscription | $25/ mo. ($15 discount) | $35/ mo. ($15 discount) | $50/ mo. ($15 discount) | $60/ mo. ($15 discount) |
| 4G LTE & 5G | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Call Minutes | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Text Messages | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| High-Speed Data | 5GB | 15GB | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Priority Data | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 128kbps Data | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Extra Mobile Hotspot Data | None | None | 10GB (add-on at $5) | 10GB (Free) |
| Unlimited 600kbp hotspot data | N/A | N/A | YES | YES |
| Extra Perks | N/A | N/A | N/A | 5G Ultra-Wideband, Free Roaming Data, International Texting, |
In the table, you’ll notice Verizon is a bit more expensive in the first three months. From the fourth to the ninth month, you can get a $10 discount, which comprises $5 for Autopay and $5 for loyalty. Then, in the tenth month, you get to save $15, with $5 for autopay and $10 for loyalty.
Note, Verizon also does have a Pay as You go basic phone plan that goes for $30/ mo., with unlimited text and minutes, plus 500Mb data. It also has four unlimited monthly rate plans, including Start package at $70, Play More for $80, Do More for $80, and Get More at $90.
The unlimited plans do include a monthly discount of $10/ line by joining the auto pay and paper-free billing. Then, there are family discounts, whereby you can save $10 to $50 per month, depending on the plan and the number of lines.
Free Mobile Hotspot Data
Verizon is the clear winner here as it’s most of the unlimited and prepaid plans with the extra data for mobile hotspot. You can get between 10GB to 30GB of high-speed data allowance, depending on the plan. Then, unlimited 600kbps speed after the high-speed allotment finishes.
Meanwhile, Mint Mobile has only a single (Unlimited) plan with the extra data allowance for mobile hotspot. The other plans will use your regular monthly data allotment, which is nice, but not the best idea for heavy data users.
Video Streaming Resolution
Similarly, Verizon takes the points here as some of its “Truly” unlimited phone plans include HD video streaming quality. You could even watch your shows in 4K UHD resolution on capable devices, but you’ll have to be within the 5G Ultra Wideband zone.
As for Mint Mobile, the unlimited plan allows video streaming at only 480p, which means the content may appear blurry on large monitors. However, you can stream in the quality you want (HD or UHD) when using either of the other plans with limited high-speed data. But then, you may end up finishing your monthly data allowance in the first day.
Free Phone Deals
Yet again, Verizon leads in this category as it does have various free phone deals, including the latest iPhone and Android devices. All you have to do is to add a new line to your account and activate with either of the unlimited rate plans.
Key Takeaway: Customer Service
As we conclude, it’s also worth mentioning that Verizon also has one of the finest customer services. Indeed, Mint Mobile is also superb, but the operator only operates online services. So, you’ll have to reach the customer care representative by dialing 213-372-7777 or sending a direct message on their social networks.
As for the case of Verizon, the operator does have physical stores distributed across the country. So, can get in touch with a representative in person if unsuccessful with the customer service number, online chat, or social platforms.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, both Mint Mobile and Verizon are great cell phone services. However, Mint Mobile is quite cheaper when you consider prepaying in the bulk packages, especially the yearly plans. The operator also has the option to bring your phone to their service, plus free calling to Mexico and Canada.
Even so, Verizon is my favorite pick in this battle as it’s more reliable and convenient. It has a wider coverage, flexible unlimited plans, and free unlimited mobile hotspot data, which could come in handy when on the move.
Also, Verizon does offer free calling, texting, and browsing from and to Mexico and Canada. Then, the unlimited packages have far better perks, including free access to Apple Arcade, Apple Music, Disney+, discovery, ESPN+, and 600GB of cloud storage.
